


Less Than Civil Affairs, In Which You Shuu meets Li Kouyuu for the First Time

by Thierrys



Category: Saiunkoku Monogatari
Genre: Backstory, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-26
Updated: 2009-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-09 12:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/87666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thierrys/pseuds/Thierrys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In Which You Shuu meets Li Kouyuu for the First Time</p>
            </blockquote>





	Less Than Civil Affairs, In Which You Shuu meets Li Kouyuu for the First Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cairnsy](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Cairnsy).



You Shuu crossed his arms and raised a brow at Kou Reishin, who was pointedly gazing out of the window, tapping his closed fan against his chin. An impatient puff of air escaped You Shuu's lips.

"Why don't I go look for him," he offered tersely. On the first day Li was to start, he was already more than an hour late. He had better not continue to behave like this, You Shuu thought grimly. He would see to it.

Kou, the Minister of Ice himself, didn't even turn to watch him rise. "Whatever pleases you."

You Shuu rolled his eyes, knowing Minister Kou wouldn't miss the expression, and stepped out into the hallway. Minister Kou had -- against You Shuu's better judgment, not that Kou was prone to heeding it when he didn't care for the implications -- brought his own son into the Civil Administration office upon the completion of his shinshi period. You Shuu's lips tightened just thinking about it. Li was rumored to be a genius by virtue of his age, but anyone connected to Minister Kou -- anyone _raised_ by him -- was bound to be more trouble than they were worth. At least, he thought, turning a corner and walking outside towards the Western pavillion, he didn't have the misfortune of being a Kou by blood.

That gave You Shuu pause, remembering he had no idea what Li would actually look like. If the son was anything like as ostentatious as the father, it would be easy enough to pick him out. That was something else that grated at You Shuu: Minister Kou had forbidden him from investigating Li's qualifications and potential. If anything, this only furthered You Shuu's suspicion. There was probably something deeply wrong with Li Kouyuu.

"BOGGARTS!!" howled a voice from somewhere to You Shuu's left. "DEMONS! It's you. It's YOU! You've moved the buildings around again!"

The source of the disturbance was a boy of no more than fifteen, clutching a pillar and glaring into the air. He was oblivious to You Shuu's approach and nearly jumped out of his skin when You Shuu cleared his throat.

"May I ask what, exactly, is going on here?" You Shuu asked, peering down at the boy through his glasses. He was concerned to note his official's robes, although it explained his presence in the palace compound. Examination candidates looked younger and younger every year.

"Oh!" the youth faltered. "I...that is, the office -- It was definitely there last time! And when I thought to ask at the library, that was gone as well." He met You Shuu's stony gaze and looked away.

"Because demons moved them," You Shuu supplied in monotone.

"_Exactly!_" exclaimed the boy, in a relieved tone.

"NO. _Not_ exactly," You Shuu snapped. The youth shrank back. "You _do_ realize there are people here trying to work? If you have time to run around yelling, why aren't you working?"

"S-sorry," the youth stuttered, hanging his head. "There's no excuse..."

You Shuu sighed, pushing up his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Where is it you're trying to go?"

"The Civil Administration office," the youth told him, perking up.

You Shuu felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Your name wouldn't happen to be Li Kouyuu, would it?"

\-----------------------------------

Of course it was. Of course Kou Reishin's son, in addition to being a once-in-a-century genius, would have to be a raving lunatic with all the directional sense of a blind mosquito, and be in denial about it as well.

"I don't get lost," he had explained indignantly as You Shuu steered him towards the Civil Administration office. "Bogg--people just _move_ places around without telling me, and then they're surprised when I can't find them! Really, I ask you."

You Shuu drew his brows together. "I'm sure we can locate a map of the palace compound for you."

"Ah, _maps_," Li muttered darkly. "_Shuuei_ tried to give me a map, once."

You Shuu decided not to ask about that.

Minister Kou was in the hall, waiting at the door of the office when they returned. You Shuu caught the slight exhalation upon seeing Li Kouyuu, before the fan flicked open to hide the expression. Li, on the other hand, shrank back upon seeing his father.

"Kouyuu," Minister Kou greeted him coldly. "If this is going to be a regular occurrence, perhaps you'd prefer to be transferred to a different department."

"I'm sorry, Reishin-sama." Li answered so miserably that You Shuu actually felt sorry for him.

Minister Kou ignored his son and turned to You Shuu, closing his fan with a snap. "I'll leave him to you." With that, he turned and strode back into the office.

Li turned to You Shuu and bowed low. "I'm very sorry for the trouble," he said. "I'm in your hands."

You Shuu grimaced and pushed back his glasses. "In that case, let's get a few things straight." He raised a slender index finger. "First: you will be on time. If you get lost, _or if someone moves the buildings around,_" he added over Li's protest, "then you will ask somebody to help you find your way. Second, you will not overstep your authority. Civil Affairs is the lifeblood of the government bureaucracy, and any mistake that occurs here will affect every step of the government at every level, from the tiniest rural village to the office of the Emperor himself."

Li looked suitably impressed until a page popped his head around the door. "You Shuu-sama, do you have Minister Kou's official seal? I couldn't find--" You Shuu hastily pulled the stamp from his robes and shoved it at the page, shooing him back into the office. He turned back to Li, who had regarded the incident with furrowed brows.

"Third!" You Shuu continued. Li snapped back to attention. "You will complete any and all work assigned to you in a timely manner. I don't care if you're Minister Reishin's son or a homeless man from the street. As long as you pull your own weight, we won't have a problem. If you're useless, we will get rid of you."

The muscles at the base of Li's throat shifted as he swallowed. "I understand," he answered, faltering. Then something flickered in his eyes, and his expression hardened. "I'll do my best, You Shuu-sama."

"Well, in that case." You Shuu lightened his tone, and stepped away from the door to usher Li into the office. "Welcome to Civil Administration."


End file.
